Midsummer Day

 

Midsummer Day

Midsummer Day falls on 24^th June, following the summer solstice, the longest day, on 21^st June, though Pagans continue to celebrate the longest day as midsummer. It is the astronomical longest day of the year. The change came about with the advent of Christianity when St John’s Day was celebrated on 24^th June, six months before the birth of Christ.

Many hundreds of people go to Stonehenge hoping to see the ancient stones lining up perfectly with the rays of the sun. Ancient Britons used to dance around the stones, an activity associated with sun worship.

There are many legends associated with Midsummer.  One such says that if you go to an ancient oak at Broadwater, in West Sussex, you might see skeletons emerge from the earth to caper round the tree until dawn.

Five miles away from Broadwater is Chanctonbury Ring, a Bronze Age hillfort on the South Downs. It is said to have been created by the Devil who can be evoked by running widdershins seven times round the clump of trees. When the Devil appears he offers a bowl of soup in return for the summoner’s soul. This can be done at any time of the year – you don’t have to wait until the summer solstice!

The Druids, some of whom will attend at Stonehenge, were the priests of the ancient Celts. They believed the Summer Solstice was the meeting of heaven and earth, of light and dark.

In the evening before the Summer Solstice the Druids believed that mistletoe berries growing on oak trees, both of which they held sacred, would turn golden. Pliny recorded that Druids would climb the tree and use a golden sickle to cut the berries. They believed the berries would cure illnesses, encourage fertility and make people resistant to fire.

Another old custom involved three young women. Two of them would make a dumb cake, so called because no-one was allowed to speak while it was mixed and baked. The third maiden would put the cake under their pillows and the youths they dreamt of would become their husbands.

An odd legend from Wales, Cornwall and Scotland says that groups of snakes gather on Midsummer’s Eve, put their heads together and hiss to create a large foamy bubble around one of their heads.  With a great deal more hissing the bubble would traverse the length of the chosen snake’s body and exit as a small glass ring. Any human finding this ring would acquire great wealth and power.

This Midsummer morning has dawned bright and sunny, in Berkshire, at least, so perhaps the Druids and the many hundreds of other visitors will have experienced a magical sunrise.

In Tandem #8 Sunrise, sunset

Image by Jinksy

Jane stepped into the dewy field and felt her soul expand as she gazed at the sunrise. House martins skimmed above the long grass, catching the early insects busy about their business. Canada geese honked in the distance. Far off a dog barked and was answered by another. The morning was fresh and new-washed with a hint of warmth to come. It was going to be a perfect day in this peaceful Somerset hamlet.

Jane stretched and breathed deeply of the sweet air. She set off across the meadow, following a faint track towards the hills.

Two hours later the sun had gained strength and Jane was glad of her wide-brimmed hat and bottles of chilled water. She crested the highest hill and marvelled at the vista spread at her feet. She settled in the lee of a rocky outcrop to eat her lunch. Below her a red kite described slow, graceful circles, a flick of its tail changing the direction of flight. 

A movement to her left caught her eye and she glanced across, expecting to see a buzzard stooping on unfortunate prey but saw instead a tall figure leading a procession of softly chanting people in flowing robes. They drew to a halt and formed a circle into which stepped two figures, brightly apparelled, faces painted in vivid patterns.

Jane watched for a while before realising she was witnessing a Wiccan ceremony. She remembered the date – June 21^st, the Summer Solstice. She suddenly understood that the two figures in the middle of the circle were representations of the Horned God and the Mother Goddess. Fearing that she was intruding and might be discovered she slipped away.

Later, as the sun set, she saw a faint glow from the far hills – a bonfire, maybe, a final obeisance to Litha? 

Image by Natasha 

Jinksy's brainchild, 'In Tandem' can be found here

Winter Solstice 2010

December 21^st 2010 is the day of the Winter Solstice and officially the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. So all of us who have been complaining about the winter weather should really still have been referring to autumn! It is the shortest day of the year, when the sun’s daily maximum position in the sky at its lowest. It is the longest night of the year. From tomorrow the nights will start drawing out, at a rate of 15 minutes per week. 

Of course, in the Southern Hemisphere, December 21^st 2010 marks the day of the Summer Solstice and thus the longest day.

The day has also been marked by a total lunar eclipse, the first to occur on a Solstice day since 1638. It was visible as such only in North and South America. Observers in other parts of the world saw partial eclipses.

When we looked out last night it could have been a moonless night because clouds obscured the sky. Tonight the moon is full, but again we cannot see it. Never mind, tomorrow we can look forward to longer days and shorter nights!!